SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE BARBICAN REVIVAL CANCELLED

Empire Street Productions has confirmed that a planned revival of Sunday in the Park with George will not take place at the Barbican in 2027, after its two leading performers withdrew. Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, who previously starred together in Wicked, had been due to reunite on stage under the direction of Marianne Elliott. The company said in a statement on Monday that the production would no longer proceed as scheduled. Grande announced in August that she was leaving the show, and Bailey confirmed his own departure earlier this month.

Sunday in the Park with George is a musical by Stephen Sondheim, inspired by Georges Seurat's painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. It follows a fictionalised version of Seurat as he attempts to complete the artwork while balancing his relationship with his muse, Dot. An earlier attempt to revive the musical, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford, was postponed indefinitely in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Announcing his withdrawal, Bailey said Grande is "one of my dearest friends" and described the production as "a real passion project."

Empire Street Productions said it will retain the rights to the production with a view to presenting it in 2028, with further details to be announced in due course. The Barbican had been set to host the reunion between Grande and Bailey, who previously appeared together in Wicked. No new venue or cast has been confirmed for a future production. The cancellation followed a period in which producers had said the show would continue after the departure of each lead performer in turn.